right now, chris matthews continues our debate coverage from denver. >> i got five business. i'm used to people saying something that's not always true but keep on repeating it and ultimately hoping i'll believe it. >> welcome back to our special edition of ""hardball."" and we're beginning on the east coast at midnight, our continuing live coverage of the first presidential debate between barack obama and governor mitt romney. both candidates mp promised an evening of sharp contrast but the president focused on the middle class. >> ultimately it will be up to the voters, to you, which path we should take. are we going to double down on the the top-down economic policies that helped to get us into this mess or do we embrace a new economic patriotism that says, america does best when the middle class does best? >> mitt romney promised the administration of lower taxes, less regulation. smaller government. >> the president has a view very similar to the view he had when he ran four years ago. the bigger government, spending more, taxing more, regulating more, if you will, trick